Deviant Sin: A Dark College Romance (Cruel Desires Book 1) Page 2

  My cock twitches, but I’m not sampling the goods until she begs me to.

  And she will beg.

  Jaw tight, I stand. “Let’s go.”

  Students pause as we walk past. People shit themselves over money, power, and good looks. They either don’t know what to say or start tearing off their clothes like it’ll make a damn difference. It doesn’t. They’re all disposable.

  Saint glances at Temple, who’s still fucking oblivious, and smirks. “Is that the chick from the garage?”

  I nod.

  “Nice rack.”

  I glare at him. “Shut the fuck up.”

  The prick chuckles. “Dude. Seriously?” He eyes her again, and it pisses me off. “Okay, maybe I can see it. Hot mechanic chick from the wrong side of the tracks. She doesn’t look like much out of those coveralls, but I’d still fuck her. Then again, you already tried that and got stood up. Since I look just like you…” Grinning, he wags his eyebrows as he trails off. “Maybe I should tell her I’m the twin with the bigger cock.”

  “Keep it up and I’ll break your legs. Won’t be able to fuck anyone then.”

  The asshole outright laughs. “Don’t tell me the elusive Sinclair Brandt is finally dick whipped over a chick.”

  I glare at him.

  Still laughing, he holds his hands up. “Okay, okay, you win. You’re still an ornery bastard.”

  Ignoring him, I look back at Temple and scan her curves. “She’s perfect.”

  “No way, man. She asked the cops for an extra daily patrol outside her garage. It’s going to be hard using her garage as a drop now.”

  “That’s why she’s perfect. She’s a fighter.”

  “I call bullshit,” the prick says. “She just doesn’t want to go to jail like her old man.”

  “Let’s test her. Angel hacked Dad’s files, and she’s got what we need. I’ll prove it to you.” Taking my cell from my pocket, I shoot off a quick text to Eve.

  Saint shakes his head. “Bro, I’m telling you, it’s a waste of time. She’s not the one we want.”

  I shove my phone in my back pocket. “Thousand bucks says you’re wrong.”

  Saint grins and holds up his fist. “You’re on, motherfucker.”

  I bump it before glancing at Temple again. You’re mine, babe.

  Chapter Three

  TEMPLE

  “Whore.”

  I spin in the direction of the insult muttered behind my back.

  The brunette who collected Sin’s car all those months ago stands in the middle of the doorway. A tide of students exiting the double doors of the lecture theatre flow past, though not close enough to disturb her Prada outfit.

  I hate her on sight.

  Everything about her was bought and paid for by the mob. Even though I’d love nothing more than to punch her in the face, it would be suicide. Between my studies, the garage, and avoiding Sin, I’ve got enough to deal with as it is.

  I turn and keep walking. Calm yourself and move away, Temple. This won’t end well otherwise.

  High heels clacking on concrete follow me.

  “Slut,” she throws at my back.

  I stop. Breathe. Turn to face her. “What did you call me?”

  “You heard me.”

  Around me, students pause. Whispers start, their low hum building into a sea of excited murmurs. Some attempt to feign disinterest, though there’s no disguising the swift shared glances. Others are blatantly staring, their phones out and recording.

  Uncaring, I block them out. Looking past her inch-thick makeup, I search for any signs of danger.

  Nothing.

  I’ve seen her kind a hundred times before. Hell, I’ve been fighting rich bitches my whole life. If she wasn’t backed by The Collector, the worst she would do is pull hair and spit venom.

  Ignorant of my assessment, she waits.

  “I mustn’t have heard you right.” My voice is calm, belying the simmering tension beneath. “See, for a second there, I thought you called me a whore. But that can’t be true, because I don’t know you and you sure as hell don’t know me.”

  In a practiced move, she flicks her hair over one shoulder. “The name’s Eve McNamara.”

  “Your point?”

  People snicker.

  “My point,” she spits, “is not to mess with me, trash.”

  “I wasn’t,” I say slowly, because, Jesus, is she blind? “I was leaving class along with everyone else.”

  Heat teases my nape. It spreads across my skin, my heightened senses warning me it’s from the presence directly behind me.

  Treacherous.

  Merciless.

  Dominant.

  Without turning my head, I know it’s Sin Brandt.

  College is meant to be my escape. Only, when his eyes are on my body, it feels like a prison. I tried doing the right thing. Every lecture, I sat on the other side of the theater, never making eye contact, and pretending he didn’t exist.

  It didn’t work.

  As much as I tried to lie to myself, it was pointless. Like the sound of his Ferrari, I know when he’s nearby.

  “You must be fucking the professor,” Eve sneers. “I mean, come on. How else are you getting those grades? You work in a garage, for God’s sake.”

  Pushing past the intensity licking my vertebrae, I think back to my tattered English Fundamentals textbook resting on a broken milk crate next to my mattress. It’s the same book I had to pull an all-night shift to afford. The expensive secondhand resource has pages missing, some are falling out, and the rest are scribbled over, but I don’t care.

  It’s my ticket to freedom.

  And this bitch isn’t going to take that from me. “Careful, Evie, your stupid is showing.”

  She leans forward, eyes flashing. “It’s Eve, garage trash. Don’t forget it.”

  Oh, hell no. “Trust me, Evie, the second you’re out of sight, I’ll forget all about you.”

  “Everyone knows you’re pathetic. It’s obvious by your third-generation hand-me-down shirt that you can’t read.”

  I don’t bother explaining that the phrase, Reading is for Pussies, printed on my favorite T-shirt is intentionally ironic.

  “Don’t pretend to know anything about literature, Temple.” Eve crosses her arms, the buttons on her top ready to burst open.

  I still, though my mind skips ahead, wondering how she knows my name. Through Sin? Did he mention me or the fact that I stood him up?

  The disadvantage doesn’t sit well with me.

  Sick of the web The Collector weaves and the way everyone in Bayside falls victim to it, I promise myself never to let him, or anyone else, control me. Eve might enjoy the cash perks from the mob, Sin might get off on the social status, Dad might have loved the illicit highs, but I’d rather be dead than live a life that isn’t my own.

  Resolution settles in my bones.

  A muttered, “Oh shit, Eve’s fucked,” sounds from nearby.

  Acting on muscle memory and adrenaline, I grab her by the neck, slam her against the doorframe, and bring my face within an inch of hers.

  Her eyes widen in shock. “What the hell—”

  “Let me give you some advice,” I warn, my voice deathly calm. “Don’t talk to me, look at me, or breathe in my direction. I don’t want you, or anyone associated with you, polluting my world again. You feel me?”

  Fear briefly flickers across Eve’s face before she schools her expression. “Get your filthy hands off me.”

  The scent of the ocean floods my senses.

  No.

  Not now.

  I won’t give him that power over me.

  Forcing my attention away from Sin, I refocus on Eve.

  Her face is scarlet.

  Jesus. What the hell am I doing? If I don’t backpedal now, I’m a dead woman.

  Letting go, I step back. “Leave me alone.”

  I turn on my heel, and the losers watching all shove their phones away, tripping over themselves in their haste to leaver />
  All except three.

  Sin, Saint, and Angel.

  My stare trails each of them in turn.

  Cut as fuck. Their jeans and shirts are glued to their muscular bodies like second skins. All of them are tall, but Sin is built like a damn warrior. His long legs are set shoulder-width apart, his muscular thighs obvious beneath expensive dark jeans. His shirt is fitted, but I don’t think it’s on purpose. He’s so damn huge, it’s impossible for it not to be. With a strong jawline, cut cheekbones, deceptively soft lips, and straight nose, he’s so beautiful it hurts.

  The memory of the last time we spoke flashes in my mind’s eye. Sin’s unexpected interest, his confidence, the way his mouth kicked up in a smirk when he looked at me. For a brief moment, I wish he wasn’t a part of the mob and I wasn’t trying to escape it.

  Maybe then, things could have been different.

  Chapter Four

  SIN

  “I want the thousand in cash,” I tell Saint.

  “Fuck you.” He counts the bills in his wallet before palming me the money. “How’d you know she’d do that?”

  I fold the notes in half. “Already told you, I checked her files.”

  “Not all of them,” Angel mutters, staring at his phone. “She’s got one I haven’t hacked into yet. Cops have the password on a loop, and it changes every hour. Annoying as fuck.”

  “That’s because they’re onto you.” Saint puts his wallet away, a shit-eating grin on his face. “You’re getting soft, man.”

  Dude loves starting shit. He’d throat punch a man just to see him retaliate. If it wasn’t for the smug-as-fuck grin he’s always wearing, chicks wouldn’t go near his crazy ass. Since they’ve got no fucking idea what he’s really like, they throw themselves at him.

  Angel stops typing. “The cops know nothing, asshole. Same as you. Focus on logistics and leave the important shit to me.”

  Saint stares at Temple’s tits. “Whatever you say, cuz.”

  It pisses me off. “She’s off-limits.”

  Prick tries not to laugh. “You sure about that, bro? Chicks can’t tell us apart. What’s another tag team?”

  “She’s. Off. Limits.”

  Angel, the asshole, scoffs. “You’re thinking with your dick, cuz.”

  “And you’re a pain in the ass.”

  He shrugs, not giving a fuck. “Facts are facts. There’s no arguing with that shit.”

  Saint straightens his shirt because he’s fucking high-maintenance, then nods to Temple. “What’s with this chick? You’ve had a hard-on for her since day one. Don’t get me wrong, she’s got a hot rack and her ass isn’t bad either. But what’s she got that others don’t?”

  I scan her curves. “You saw her.”

  Saint smirks. “Bro, everyone except Angel can get Eve against a wall. It’s no big deal.”

  Angel puts his phone away, pissed. “Screw you, fucker. I’d rather suck my own dick than let her near mine.”

  “We put Temple to the test, and she didn’t back down. She’s our exit strategy.”

  “She took the bait without questioning it,” Angel counters. “She’s trouble.”

  “Agreed.” Saint nods, because he’s loves fucking with me. “If Temple goes from zero to a hundred because of Eve, how the fuck is she going to keep her cool against Dad?”

  I look at Temple again, my cock hardening. “She won’t have a choice.”

  Saint laughs. “You think a woman like that can’t think for herself? She’d fuck you over for the fun of it. Chick doesn’t care who you are or who we’re related to. She wants nothing to do with us.” He sobers. “Look, I’m fucking pissed about Mom too, but don’t kid yourself. Killing Dad isn’t enough. His whole organization needs to go down.”

  “If Dad’s dead, it’s all dead.”

  “Bullshit, bro. But whatever.” He goes back to eying off Temple.

  Angel gives me a long look. “Temple’s a liability, not an asset.”

  “Wrong.” I hold up the cash. “And ten thousand says I can prove it.” Saint goes to grab my winnings, but I yank them away.

  He smirks. “Okay. You have a deal.”

  Angel takes his time, considering all the fucking options like always. “It’s not about the money. We’ve been planning to take down your old man for three years. I don’t want to risk it all on a wildcard like her.”

  Years of practice makes my hatred for Aaiden “The Collector” Brandt invisible. I’m going to burn the fucker to the ground for what he did to Mom, but I’ll never let it show on my face.

  Emotions are weakness.

  “Temple’s the pawn we need.” The fact she’s gorgeous is a side bonus.

  Angel scrubs the side of his face. “It’s your loss, man.”

  “And funeral,” Saint adds. “Don’t forget who we’re up against.”

  “Dad won’t touch her. He needs her garage as a drug stop. And by the time I’m through with Temple, it won’t matter who we’re facing. She’ll do whatever the fuck I want, no questions.” She’ll plead with me to take control, and I’m man enough to do it.

  Chapter Five

  Temple

  After talking amongst themselves in voices too low for me to hear, Sin glances at Saint, giving him a subtle chin lift.

  Saint grins, taking Eve’s hand. “Come on, Evie.”

  “Screw you, Saint. Call me by my real name.” Eve yanks herself from his hold before spinning to face me. “You’re done for, slut. Do you know who my father is?”

  I pretend not to care.

  She jabs a manicured nail in my direction. “You can kiss your graduation goodbye.”

  The threat slowly seeps into my consciousness, and with it, the name McNamara.

  The world tilts, throwing me off balance.

  Oh, shit.

  I blink, hoping to fucking God I haven’t done what I think I have.

  Eve points to the plaque above the door of the lecture theater. It’s the same one that exalts renowned campus benefactor, Neil McNamara, CEO of Trident Industries.

  If it’s not the mob, it’s the elite.

  A girl can’t catch a break in this town.

  Not wanting to let on how pissed I am at myself, I bite back a curse.

  But I must let some of my frustration show, because Eve sneers. “That’s right, trash. You’ve messed with the wrong woman.”

  Screw this, I won’t let this bitch steal my future. “You’re the one who started it. If you don’t want the fallback, make sure you finish what you begin.”

  “I’m not wasting my time on trash like you. We’re done here.” She brushes past me, strutting toward the parking lot.

  Sin nods for Saint to follow. Saint points to Sin. “Ticktock, motherfucker.” With his killer swagger, he quickly catches up to Eve.

  Angel is quiet but tracks Eve’s movements. He shoves his hands deep into his pockets and saunters behind the pair.

  Sin’s heavy gaze falls on me. “You’ve been avoiding me. That’s going to cost you.”

  Not wanting to admit he’s right, I make to leave.

  Only, he grabs my arm, stopping me. “I said, you owe me.”

  Damn, he’s got a strong grip. “I don’t owe you anything.”

  “Wrong, babe.” Deep, gravelly, but with the slightest hint of a rasp, his voice is wind and rain, pleasure and pain, a typhoon set to blow my world apart.

  “Get your hand off me.”

  “Not a fucking chance.” Sin shifts closer.

  I’ve had enough experience with violent men to last a damn lifetime, so I know danger when I see it. Preparing myself, I clench and unclench my hands, pumping blood into them so I’m ready to throw a punch if I have to.

  Which is weird, because Sin’s always so cool and composed, like nothing in the world, except for his weird fascination with me, means anything to him.

  Forcing me backward until I hit the wall, he gets all up in my face. “You stood me up. I’m not the kind of man who’ll forget.”

 
“You and your crew have threatened me enough for one day. Back the fuck off before I make you.”

  Sin’s eyes slip to my hands, pause, then meet mine. Challenge sparks in their steely depths. “You going to hit me?”

  “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve hit a man. I doubt it’d be the first time you’ve been hit, either.”

  He smirks but doesn’t give me the space I want.

  “I said,” I repeat, “back. The. Fuck. Off.”

  He leans in close. “I want you to beg first.”

  Goddamn.

  The threat shouldn’t sound hot, but, coming from Sin, it does.

  “I’ve never begged in my life,” I lie.

  “Now’s a good time to start.” His hand tightens to the point of pain. “Come on, babe. Beg me to let you go.”

  Heat pools in the base of my stomach. Horrified at my body’s response, I tear myself from his hold. “Leave me the fuck alone.” I storm away, needing a mountain of distance between us.

  “I’m not done with you, babe,” he calls to my back. “You can’t run forever.”

  The hell I can’t.

  It’s not until I’m on the other side of the quad that I finally admit the disastrous truth. I wanted to fight Sin. His dominance and controlled aggression are telltale signs of a worthy opponent. Bringing him to his knees will be a victory I savor long after his defeat.

  As much as I try to forget why I learned how to fight, a dark part of me lives for the challenge. It wants to stare death in the face and survive, if only to prove that I can.

  Annoyed with myself for getting sucked in, and disturbed by my reaction, I promise never to let Sin Brandt have that type of control over me again.

  Chapter Six

  Sin

  I take a swig of beer and drop my head back, staring at the ceiling.

  Temple is hot as fuck. Angry, too. Girl’s got bigger balls than most of the dudes I know. She throws shade like a pro.